Fairytale
by Kumikoko
Summary: Armin Arlert is a princess who must choose a husband to rule the kingdom in Erwin Smiths place. The choices Armin has are as follows: Erwin Smith (Her uncle) Jean Kirstein (Potential Power) Reiner Braun (A knight in shining armor) Armin is definitely not choosing Erwin. She is intrigued by Reiner until she meets a mystery man that Erwin does not approve of. Beware of violence.
**Fairytale**

"Wake up, Armin," A cool, crisp voice broke through the enchantment of slumber bewitching the princess.

"Mm…" Armin moaned sleepily as she rolled on to her side and nuzzled her head against the pillow, wanting nothing more than to sleep the day away.

"It's your fifteenth birthday," The feminine voice said, and suddenly, Armin was shivering.

Parting her eye lids, the first blurry shapes were taken in, one clearly a tall figure, black and peach, a hint of red, in front of an expanse of light blue and browns. As her eyes adjusted to the light, she could see her oriental servant, holding the light blue blanket hostage.

"Morning already?" Armin asked softly, sliding her ivory arm out from under the gold colored pillow, to rub the sleep out of her eyes.

"Silence and beauty is your objective for the day, while quietly considering your options of princes, and or kings to choose from." Mikasa informed Armin of what Erwin expected of her today.

"There's…two, right? King Reiner and Prince Jean?" Armin inquired as she pushed herself up with her hands, letting her legs fold underneath her, but angled out. She stretched her arms above her head, feeling her muscles pop pleasantly and let out a moan.

"That is not appropriate, Princess, should a man be near you." Mikasa scolded her, the same way she had a thousand times before. "Now, get up." Mikasa commanded, becoming impatient with the girl, taking her sweet time in moving around, despite the fact that both of them were on a quite serious schedule. Armin's pink lips pulled into an innocent smile.

"Alright, Mikasa. I promise I won't make this hard on you, today." Armin assured her in a honey-sweet voice that should have added to her over-all purity. But it only made Mikasa grimace with doubt. She knew that princess like the back of her hand and Important days were the days Armin made the hardest for Mikasa, always insisting that the outfit was wrong, or too tight, or the shoes weren't the _exact_ shade the dress was.

Maybe it was the amount of pressure to be perfect that had been put on Armin since she was born, but for days deemed special, she was especially finicky.

"You don't look too sure of my word," Armin brought her bottom lip up in a pout, her eyes reflecting the hurt she was experiencing from her friend's distrust of her word.

Sighing, Mikasa placed the blanket down, and set one hand on her hip.

"Then show me you're serious," Mikasa challenged her, without giving in to the cute ploy.

"Okay," Armin quipped brightly, sliding her legs off the edge of the bed and rested her feet on the cool stone.

Standing up, Armin held her arms above her body, letting Mikasa pull the long, white nightgown off of her body, effectively exposing her hour-glass curves, that were enough to compensate for her small, rounded breasts.

Setting the nightgown on the bed, Mikasa then slid the silk bloomers down the length of Armin's legs, and pulled them off one leg at a time, as the girl lifted one foot, then the other.

"Your bath is waiting," Mikasa gestured to the adjacent bathroom. Armin glanced over at the open doorway, noticing how the steam rose above the marble, light blue tub. "Alright," Armin replied and shamelessly stepped to the bathroom, passing the large window that framed a brunt of the back wall. Mikasa sighed, hoping none of the gardeners had been trying to stare into the room.

Following Armin, Mikasa shut the door behind them, and looked around the bathroom, making sure everything was in place for not only Armin's use, but her own.

"You look nice today, Mikasa." Armin smiled, noticing the light blue bra Mikasa wore, the upper straps wrapping around her neck, while the lower straps tied into a bow against her back. The matching long light blue loincloth skirt almost brushed against the floor, even with Mikasa wearing matching high heels.

"Don't flatter me," Mikasa muttered, turning her head away from Armin to hide the light blush forming on her cheeks.

Leaning forwards, Armin dutifully waited for Mikasa to kneel down next to the tub to wash the brunt of her. Feeling a warm luffa on her back, Armin closed her eyes enjoying the sensations of the loofah chasing every itch away.

"Oh, where's my bubbles?" Armin asked, opening her eyes with realization that the bubbles were missing.

"You were serious last night?" Mikasa sputtered incredulously.

"Yes," Armin replied, fiddling her hands together impatiently.

Wordlessly, Mikasa stood up and grabbed the wash cloth, drying her hands before kneeling down in front of a cabinet, pulling out a glass bottle with a pink liquid inside.

There was no blue.

Closing her eyes, Mikasa prepared herself for Armin's tantrum.

Mikasa snapped her head towards the opening door, to see a pale arm reach inside, hand clutched around a glass bottle, full of blue liquid. Mikasa stood up and snatched the bottle away before slamming the door shut and locked it.

Silently, she thanked Eren.

"What was that?" Armin asked, looking over to Mikasa, oblivious of what just happened.

"My apologies, Princess. I forgot to shut the door." Mikasa replied breezily, as she walked back to the tub and knelt down, twisting the lid off of the bottle and poured some of the liquid into the clear water.

Once more, Mikasa grabbed the loofah and scrubbed Armin's back until any and all dirt, and dead skin was washed away. Armin leaned back and stretched her arms out, letting Mikasa use the loofah on her armpits, and arms. Mikasa slid down to the end of the tub, waiting for Armin to lift her legs up to rest her ankles on the edge of the tub so Mikasa could scrub the soles of her feet.

A princess had to have nice feet. The loofah was ditched after that, and Mikasa grabbed the other wash cloth, pouring soap on to it before washing Armin's face. Armin closed her eyes to avoid letting soap in them. Mikasa ran the washcloth down Armin's neck, over her collarbone, shoulders and arms, then set the wash cloth aside and poured soap on to her own hands.

Folding her legs half underneath her, and half out, Mikasa reached her hands around Armin's body, cupping her breasts and gently massaged the soap on to them, rubbing her soapy thumbs in a circle around, and on Armin's small, brown nipples and aureola. Armin leaned her head back, sliding one leg back into the tub, her blonde hair dangling above the stone floor, and let out a small moan.

Closing her eyes, Mikasa struggled to remain patient with Armin.

"Princess, do you remember when I explained to you that when you make noises like that, people will get the wrong impression of you, and what I'm doing to you?" Mikasa's lips were in a thin, unamused line.

That innocent smile graced Armin's lips.

"You worry too much, Mikasa." Armin mused, knowing that Mikasa had no choice but to use her hands, because washcloths, and loofah's tended to be harsh on such delicate skin.

"I suppose," Mikasa sighed, letting Armin win this one.

"Eren," Mikasa snapped, looking to the door again, and just as she thought, there was movement under the door.

"He's just curious," Armin chimed innocently, watching Mikasa grab a fresh wash cloth and dangle it over the door knob, so Eren couldn't peek in.

"That may be so, but only the Princess's husband should see her naked, and I." Mikasa reminded Armin sternly and handed her the wash cloth, so she could finish washing herself.

"I am willing to bet he wasn't trying to look at me," Armin stated with a knowing look to Mikasa.

"Don't be ridiculous," Mikasa muttered, another blush appearing on her face as she grabbed the bottle of shampoo and poured some of the liquid on to her hand. She then rubbed the substance into Armin's hair. Armin rinsed it out, and let Mikasa rub conditioner into her hair.

While the conditioner sat, Armin picked a razor up, and made sure her body was smooth as silk, bare of unnecessary hair. When the bath was over, Armin stood up and let Mikasa dry her off with a towel. Mikasa wrapped the towel around Armin's body and had her sit on the counter, where Mikasa gathered material's to paint Armin's nails light blue, both her hands, and toenails.

Looking over her beautiful nails, Armin smiled, feeling more like a girl. Being Armin couldn't do anything for awhile, Mikasa brushed blonde strands out, and then examined Armin's face. A princess couldn't have bushy eyebrows, nor could she have a unibrow, nor anything of the sort. Each hair had to be correspondent to the other. There also couldn't be any really long nose hairs, and they especially couldn't be sticking out.

Anything hair that didn't belong was plucked, much to Armin's dismay.

Beauty was pain.

"I want to smell like sunshine today," Armin stated, gesturing to the lotion on the counter. Mikasa grabbed the bottle with yellow cream, and opened it, pouring some on to her hands, before she rubbed it on to Armin's arms, legs, feet, and upper body. A different cream was applied to Armin's armpits to prevent unwanted body scents.

"What dress are you going to wear?" Mikasa asked, lifting Armin off of the counter and set her down.

Following Mikasa into the walk in closet, Armin began rifling through her many dresses eagerly.

A chilling chorus of happy, "No's," filled the room, and all Mikasa could do was set her hand on her forehead and sigh, hoping beyond belief that one of the dresses would appease the finicky princess.

" _This_ one!" Armin exclaimed, pulling a dress off of the hanger, that would reach past her feet, and cover up to her shoulders. There was a thin brown belt around the waist, and a layer of lace, that Mikasa thought gaudy, but wordlessly, she helped Armin into the dress, before the girl could change her mind.

Stepping in front of the mirror, Armin set her hands on her hips, lifting one side up, then the other, inspecting how her waist and stomach was portrayed, from a front, and side view. Armin smiled with pure appreciation for the dress and began primping, while Mikasa let out a sigh of relief.

"These shoes don't match."

Feeling her blood run cold, Mikasa hesitantly looked to Armin, who now held light blue shoes, that, _almost_ matched the dress, but they were a shade off, and none of the other shoes in the closet were good enough, apparently.

"We have to find a match," Armin announced. Mikasa grabbed a pair of white high heels and held them out to Armin.

"These will work." Mikasa said, but flinched at Armin's withering stare. "Alright, let me do your make-up really quick and we'll take the carriage," Mikasa suggested, remembering how sweetly Armin had promised that she wouldn't put her through hell today, but apparently, Armin had forgotten her vow.

"Okay," Armin agreed, grabbing a pair of matching light blue gloves to slide on her hands, before moving back into the bathroom and let Mikasa apply make up to her face. A light blue eyeliner was applied to Armin's top eyelids, and her dark eyelashes were coated with black paint to make them stand out more. Red lipstick was applied to her shapely lips.

"Just wear these," Mikasa held out the white high heels again. Armin sighed and slid the white heeled shoes on and followed her servant out, into the hall.

"Consult with your uncle, and I'll fetch Eren," Mikasa suggested, and went her own way.

Nodding, Armin wandered to Erwin's office, and opened the door, peeking inside. Erwin was speaking with a few guards.

"Ah, Uncle?" Armin tentatively greeted, to gain Erwin's attention. Erwin paused in his conversation and looked at Armin, who slinked inside of the room carefully, shutting the door behind her.

"Good morning, Armin. I hope you realize that was your mother's favorite dress," Erwin greeted casually, as his blue eyes skimmed every curve of Armin's body.

It was quite a shame to Erwin's mind that the young girl would surely find a future husband today, and it wouldn't be him.

A blush brightened Armin's ivory face up.

"R-really?" Armin asked, having been given the dress a long time ago. "Yes. Now, what is it you wanted?" Erwin asked, needing to return to speaking with the guards.

"Oh, I have to buy new shoes," Armin announced.

"Give me a few minutes and I'll be downstairs to come with you," Erwin stated, knowing Armin wasn't going to settle for no. Armin smiled with appreciation.

"Thank you," Armin said and left the room, wandering into the kitchen where a chef offered Armin a cup. Armin took the cup gratefully and sipped at the liquid, shuddering at the bittersweet mango flavor.

"Is breakfast going to be big? I am eager to have something when I return," Armin said, to which the chef nodded.

"Of course, Princess. Do take an apple with you for the ride," He said, handing Armin an apple.

"Thank you," Armin said and left, taking a bite out of the apple as she walked outside, finding the carriage and horses ready to go.

"Whoa, Armin, that dress is insane on you," Eren exclaimed as he slid off of the brown horse, his eyes particularly focused on the lace of the dress that added a sense of purity to Armin's overall being with the way it swayed gently in the light wind.

"You look great too," Armin replied, noticing Eren wearing a long, light blue loincloth, much like Mikasa's own. The rest of Eren's body was devoid of clothing, except for his feet, that were in golden sandals, that matched the golden bracelets on his wrists. Eren's toned body was appealing, much like Mikasa's.

Opening the carriage door, Eren held his hand out to help Armin up into it. Armin took Eren's hand, and with her other hand, lifted the dress up enough for her to not trip over it as she got into the carriage and sat down. A moment later, Erwin stepped outside.

"I suppose there was no talking her out of this?" Erwin inquired to Mikasa, who nodded to her head. Erwin climbed on to the blonde horse and Eren climbed into the carriage with Armin, hoisting the large hand fan up and waved it back and forth, to keep her cool. Mikasa sat on the black horse, helping to guide the carriage to their destination.

Listening to the clopping noise the horses caused as their hooves trotted along the cobblestone, Armin watched the scenery go by, how there were many people in light blue, or that had light blue merchandise and or decorations outside their homes and shops, the people wanting to represent Armin on her birthday. Armin waved and smiled, unable to do much more than that, for the windows were not able to be moved down nor opened.

"Stop here," Erwin stated, pulling the reigns of the horse to stop in front of a shop that specialized in making pottery. Erwin slid off of the horse, dressed in the light blue, white and gold uniform expected of males in the family.

Turning her attention to the right window once more, Armin noticed a young woman leaning against the wall on the building across the street, with her arms folded across her chest.

"I love her hair," Armin commented, catching Eren's attention.

"Who? Her?" Eren asked, noticing the young woman with cherry red hair in shaggy pigtails.

"Yeah," Armin confirmed, wondering what she was doing.

The woman reached a hand into her blue skirt pocket, and pulled out a pocket watch, clearly checking the time. She was wearing a long sleeved, white button up shirt that may have been fancy at one time, but it was dirty, with stains, much like the skirt was.

"Why is she dirty?" Armin asked, tilting her head with curiosity, letting her blonde strands fall around her face.

"I assume she might be similar to I, when my mother was murdered," Eren said, continuing to fan Armin, who in the carriage, was starting to have sweat trickle down the side of her face.

"Homeless, you mean?" Armin inquired, for clarification. "Yes. It's unfortunate but it happens," Eren commented.

From within the carriage, Armin saw three guards walk up to the woman, and a short conversation seemed to ensue, the woman's green eyes hardening with apprehension. There seemed to be no warning before the guards started to push the woman around. Armin's lips parted slightly. "Why are they pushing her?" Armin asked with alarm, lashing her hand out to grab Eren's wrist. Eren paused in his fanning her to follow her gaze.

A struggle seemed to break out between the woman and the guards, and in a very unlady like manner, she clearly bit at the guards arm that had groped her breast.

"Ah! He just grabbed her breast!" Armin exclaimed with surprise, now pointing accusingly at them with her index finger. The girl was thrown to the cobblestone ground where the guards then kicked at her. Armin climbed over Eren with haste, throwing the carriage door open.

"What are you doing?" Eren asked, trying to grab at her to keep her in the carriage, but she squirmed out of his grip and ran towards the building Erwin had gone into. Armin's first thought was to rip the door open but she paused, taking a quick moment to primp herself before opening the door like a calm person would and strolled inside.

Erwin was holding a blue vase with an intricate image of the sun painted on, but looked over to the opening of the door and was surprised to see Armin, especially without Eren or MIkasa at her side. Armin strode right up to Eren.

"I need to borrow this." Armin announced, wrapping her fingers around Erwin's decorate Claymore sword at his hip, and unsheathed it. Pure surprise graced Erwin's face as he stared at his delicate niece, hoisting the fine sword into the air, before scampering off with it.

"Armin!" Erwin exclaimed in alarm, reaching out to her but she was already shutting the door.

Stepping into the light, Armin daintily held the sword out to Eren, who had clambered out of the carriage to chase after her, but had only managed to shut the door and start her way. Eren froze at the sight of the sword, unsure what the princess was doing.

"Eren, as my Knight, take this sword and help that woman," Armin commanded with blue flames of fire flickering through her eyes. Eren's green eyes bulged open.

"What? Princess, you can't be serious, I—"

"Do as I say, Eren," Armin snapped becoming impatient, knowing those guards were still assaulting the woman.

She could still see through the carriage windows that the woman was struggling against the men, abusing their power.

"When did I even become a Knight?" Eren inquired, knowing that he would be at a disadvantage against three adults.

"Just now," Armin replied sweetly, her arm starting to shake with the weight of the sword.

"I'm not qualified for this," Eren said, incredulous that Armin was asking such a big thing from him.

"Mikasa." Armin looked to Mikasa expectantly.

With no hesitation, jumped off the horse and grabbed the sword.

"Yes, Princess," Mikasa said, kneeling before Armin to show respect before she turned to spring into action, but paused as the girl was shoved into a carriage, kicking and biting. The two guards clambered into the carriage while the third one manned the horses, making a get-a-way.

Turning back to their own carriage, Mikasa hurried over to Armin, lifting her up, and set her on the blonde horse, and then picked a confused Eren up and tossed him on to the brown horse. Mikasa then unhooked the horses from the carriage, and before Eren could ask what was going on, another familiar, deep, cool voice spoke.

"What is going on?" Erwin asked, as he walked out of the store, a box in his arms.

"No time," Mikasa replied, and leapt on to the black horse, and nudging the horses sides, the horse whinnied before speeding off. Armin and Eren were quick to follow.

"H-hey!" Erwin noticed they seemed to be chasing a carriage, but he couldn't understand why.

Wind whipped past the three as they left Erwin behind and chased after the carriage. Mikasa took the lead, pushing the black stallion to its limits while Armin and Eren followed behind her as best they could. A quick movement of her head forced some of her hair out of her face, giving her vision more clarity as she focused on the carriage.

Steadily they were gaining on the carriage that had already gotten a good distance ahead of them. Mikasa looked ahead at their target with a cool expression, one hand gripping onto her horse's mane tightly while her other one held onto the sword that she had taken from Armin, ready to use it once they got close enough. To stop herself from falling off from the horse, her knees gripped at its sides and applied more pressure to each side to direct the horse in whatever direction she needed.

Just as the raven haired female was starting to close in, she blinked as two men appeared on the side just a little bit ahead of her, one of them wearing a short green cloak that was billowing out behind him. They were clearly chasing after the carriage and Mikasa quickly figured out that they had to be after the woman in the carriage as well.

They appeared to have a plan already thought out as the lighter haired male pushed forward to get to the two guards manning the carriage while the other very steadily began to stand on his horse's back, waiting until he was right beside the carriage where he jumped onto the top of it, earning a few loud exclamations from the guards inside the carriage itself. Without delaying, he dropped himself down onto the side of the carriage, holding onto the ledge and with his legs he pushed himself back and using the momentum that he had when he came swinging back, his feet broke through the window of the carriage, slipping himself inside much to the guards surprise.

Jumbled cries of, "what the fuck?!" and, "get off me!" burst from the guards' throats, and a feminine one. Mikasa used the fact the distraction of these strangers to her advantage. While the MPs grappled with the thugs, she pulled up along the side of the carriage.

Within the carriage, the guards were struggling to restrain the girl, who kept biting them in her fight to get away. Upon seeing the dark haired male, the girl paused in her plight, only to squeal a moment later as her breast was grabbed again. Violently, she bit the hand while the dark haired male drew a roman shortsword.

Two swift slashes and the guards necks were slit.

"We have to stop 'em!" Eren shouted from outside of the carriage.

"Cut the horses!" Armin ordered, and with a curt nod, Mikasa dug her heels even deeper into the panting thoroughbred's sides.

A flash of steel and the blade slashes through the horses' leather harnesses.

"Hey!" An officer cried as he watched the startled horses vanish down the street. But without the animals, the cart continued barreling forward.

"Mikasa, fall back!" Armin ordered, and his servant swerved to the side.

There was a cacophony of screaming as the carriage roared over the cobblestone. Mere seconds before the horrifying collision, the carriage door was kicked open.

The caped figure had the woman wrapped tightly against his chest, and without a moment's hesitation, leapt out. He rolled onto the ground and both people popped up, seeming perfectly unharmed. The light-haired man landed gracefully beside them, narrowly avoiding the flying planks from the resulting crash. The girl had a bruise forming on her forehead.

"Mikasa!" Eren hollered, hand outstretched as he galloped toward her.

She tossed him the sword as he passed, the ghost of a smile emerging on her lips. "Leave her alone!" Eren snarled, having in his mind that the girl still needed to be rescued, but as he leaned from the horse's back fearlessly, his vicious swipe at the caped man was blocked. The light haired man whipped out a shortsword sword of his own, easily parrying the blow.

Mikasa glanced at Armin. "Princess?"

"Please," Armin replied with a wave of her hand.

"You take Shorty, I've got him!" Eren barked, unwilling to admit that he was no match for the caped figure and tossed the sword back to Mikasa, who caught it gracefully.

The instant Mikasa's fingers curled around the blade handle, sparks were flying.

 _clang-clang-clang!_

The metal rang it each time they struck. But each strike was deflected. Mikasa jumped back, knocking the man's charge to the right. Her eyes widened as he dodged a blow to his abdomen. Mikasa had never seen _anyone_ with such agility. Their eyes continued to meet with the clashing swords.

"Crap! Levi!" The other man suddenly shouted. Eren snatched the man's wrist, and in one fluid movement, swept his knees out from under him. Eren shifted his grip on his arm, flung the man over his shoulder, and slammed him into the ground.

Armin tried to ignore the wild look in Eren's gleaming green eyes.

They craved blood.

"Don't ever try to hurt another girl again!" Eren roared with misplaced justice, and the man barely rolled out of the way of Eren's fist.

As steel slashed and fists clashed, Armin raced to the girl's side. She was on the ground, pressed up against the wall, trying to catch her breath and held one hand to her throbbing head.

"Are you okay?" Armin asked softly, taking her hand. The dark haired man noticed Armin reaching towards the red-haired girl and halted the downwards motion of his blade. The dark eyes turned cold as he perceived the pretty girl as a threat and launched himself to her.

"Princess, look out!" Eren's panicked warning came too late.

Armin let out a terrified scream as she was yanked up by the back of her dress. Her throat constricted at the cold teeth of a blade biting into the tender flesh breath her chin.

"No one move, and she won't get hurt," the man growled, glowering at each servant.

"You'll regret that," Eren spat. "She's the goddamn Princess!"

All three strangers' jaws dropped. "P...princess?" The rescued girl sputtered with shocked awe.

"Eren!" Mikasa snapped as she scolded him. Eren glanced to her with confusion, unsure of what he did wrong.

Never had Armin been treated so roughly before, and she certainly hadn't been around such a man before. Her heart thumped loudly in her chest as she tried to push down the feelings of exhilaration, and fear.

A prince would save her from this hoodlum, surely?

"Shorty!" A voice roared.

All eyes snapped up to the nearest rooftop. At least seven men, their heads wrapped in cloth, stood scowling down at their previously escaped prey.

"Shit, they found us!" the caped man, Levi hissed. Armin had figured out by now that this man was definitely Levi.

"Who?!" Eren squawked.

"Shut up, shitty brat," Levi snapped, and tossed Armin aside.

Eren and Mikasa both ran to her side, taking her in a protective embrace as the new ring of thugs dropped down into the street.

"So, the princess?" One sneered between the dark beard and mustache around his lips, sauntering forward.

"This is between you an' us," 'Shorty's' grunted.

Was he trying to protect the castle trio?

"Bullshit!" Scimitar swords were revealed, some still dripping with blood.

Staring at the thugs in horror, Armin whispered, "Eren? Mikasa? Take care of them."

"Yes Princess," they both replied instantly, and the thug trio they had been fighting seconds before stared in shock.

"You're gonna pay for what you did!" The rival leader snarled. And with that, they charged forward.

Armin stumbled back, squeezing her eyes shut in terror. She didn't want to see the deadly blurs that were her servants and attempted captors. She didn't want to watch them swerve and slide in their deadly dance with death.

She didn't want to watch the streets run red with blood.

Her eyes burst open at the sound of a glass-shattering howl to see a man drop dead at her feet. It was one of the new thugs. Her face splattered with blood, Mikasa pulled the sword back out of his spine without even blinking. Armin's stomach dropped.

She had grown up with this girl; they had chased butterflies through the courtyard together; they snuck out of the castle together; they slept in the same bed when she had nightmares. Was this blood-soaked warrior before her now, with emotionless black eyes and unmoved lips; was this really Mikasa?

Her speed; her stamina; everything seemed to match Levi. Every time Armin dared to blink, they were each engaged in another battle. Bodies were starting to pile up in the street.

She glanced down to see the thick body before her had his eyes still open wide. Armin pivoted on her heel and puked.

Wiping the stomach acid from her chin, Armin nearly fainted. She could only watch as Eren tackled a sweaty man to the ground. He took a fistful of the man's hair and slammed his face into the cobblestone over and over. Fragments of teeth littered the ground as the man's nose was crushed into the back of his face. Eren was like an untamed animal, holding nothing back.

Mikasa had made it quick, pouncing on her next victim in a flash; but Eren was taking his time.

He...was he enjoying it?

This boy liked to lay in the grass and find shapes in the clouds; he had cried when the egg he found remained unhatched (but Armin promised not to tell); he even stopped royal tasks to help others, whether they needed it or not.

What was happening to her friends?!

"You motherfuckers!" Eren suddenly snarled, and Armin followed his gaze to see Levi scaling the wall at the back of the alleyway.

They were just going to abandon they fight?!

There were only three men left at this point, but that don't make them any less threatening.

Armin couldn't fight; it was Mikasa and Eren vs fully grown adults.

Of what she had actually seen, they might be able to take them, but that didn't keep the fear from sinking into Armin's heart.

In one elegant stride, Mikasa ran her blade straight through one man's chest. Eren pounced on another, not hesitating to use his teeth like a mad dog. But where was the third?!

Levi was about to vault over the wall as he heard the princess let loose another shriek.

"Come on, Levi!" Isabel cried, holding out a hand to the hesitant dark haired male. But he only ignored her.

"Dammit," Levi growled, and dropped back to the ground.

The all-to-familiar sensation of steel against skin tingles against Armin's neck. "Don't move, or something will happen to-"

The man's words were cut off with his head.

The decapitated body crumpled to the ground, and Armin was frozen in a silent scream as she watched the severed head roll over the stones. "You're welcome," Levi spat, and spun towards the wall to flee now that the princess was safe.

Stepping towards the wall with haste, a bout of lightheadedness made Levi stumble. Armin gasped with alarm, stepping to attention, while the red-headed girl dropped down the wall to rush to Levi's side. Armin reached towards Levi, setting her hand on his shoulder.

"Uhm, are you o—" Tentative and quiet, Armin's voice was easily over powered by Levi's.

"Don't touch me," Levi snarled, jerking away from Armin, who recoiled as if she had been slapped.

"Hey! Don't you talk to the Princess like that!" Eren snarled and lunged at Levi, but Mikasa grabbed the back of his shirt and prevented him from making matters worse.

"She's only trying to help," The girl pointed out, as Levi put a hand to his forehead, hating how the world was spinning.

"Dude, you're pale," The light haired male commented, moving to the girl's side.

"I'm fine," Levi snapped, the same way he always did when he was not fine, only, after a few more steps, he started to crumple to the ground. The male friend was quick to respond, lunging to Levi and pulled one of the thinner but more muscled arm around his shoulder and the other slid around Levi's waist, holding Levi more or less upright.

"Is he going to be okay?" Armin asked, a delicate hand over her mouth.

While Levi had tried to kidnap her, he had also saved her, which sort of negated the original impression enough to let her start to gain a new one.

"If we can get the bleeding to stop, and find water," The light hair male scoffed as if his words were obvious.

"We be fighting them for a week now, and evading," The girl started, but the young man quickly spoke up.

"We were in the process of evading, and getting something to eat. All Isabel had to do was stand there and not draw attention," Giving her a pointed look, the girl looked away indignantly, crossing her arms over her chest.

"It not my fault I be pretty!" Isabel chimed with indigence. "You to be watching anyways, Farlan!" Isabel stated, turning the blame on him.

"Well, whoever's fault it is, I think you should all come to the castle with me." Armin started sweetly.

"Absolutely not." A firm, deep male voice said.

Armin jumped with surprise and whirled around. "Ah, Uncle!"

"These are Class A thugs, Armin," Erwin gestured to the trio, "I hired those Fanatic Desert men to hunt them down. It seems a small army of them were no match." Erwin sighed with regret, then looked up with firm eyes. "However, thanks to your escapade of running off, every guard under my command is searching for you and they will be here momentarily," Now those cool, hard eyes focused on the trio again, who looked ready to bolt. "They will arrest these heathens or die trying." Erwin explained, without a shred of mercy in his voice.

Gasping, Armin put her hands over her mouth. If she had left them alone, it was quite possible that Levi and Farlan could have rescued Isabel themselves. Mikasa and Eren's input may not have been necessary.

"Thank you, Princess. You did well, today," Erwin patted Armin on the back, making her feel worse, at the same time that Knights stepped up to them from different directions.

His heart pounding in his chest, Farlan knew that while he and Isabel could probably scale the wall, and start moving, Levi was unconscious. If Farlan brought Levi with him, Levi would slow him down. If he stayed, dropped Levi, and fought, it was more than likely that a Knight would grab Levi and hold him hostage, where, again, Farlan would have a hard choice to make. Besides which, it was unlikely that Farlan and Isabel could defeat these Knights themselves, carrying sharpened Longswords.

If they didn't do something, all of them would be taken to jail, or worse—

"I know what you would do to people like us!" Farlan exclaimed, a hint of fear and desperation tinged in his voice. "You would have us thrown into those barbaric games, wouldn't you?" Farlan's voice now held an accusatory note that was hard to miss.

"If I may," Mikasa spoke up, stepping in front of the trio. "The one in the cape rescued Armin from your hired men." Mikasa explained in her normal, monotone way, but Armin could see the different emotions flashing through her eyes.

At least the girl had compassion for others not Armin. That alone made Armin relax considerably, after the horror she had seen today. On some level, Mikasa grudgingly respected Levi, and seemed to have no problem with the other two. Although they had been presented to each other as enemies, they had actually been working towards the same goal, and it so happened that Isabel was part of Levi's group. Armin realized that the group must have thought of Isabel as Eren and Mikasa thought of her.

No wonder they had been so quick, and brutal with the guards and bearded men.

"That may be a noble notion, I admit. However, it does not make their previous crimes dismissible," Erwin said and held his hand out to Mikasa, wanting his Claymore back.

"What are your orders?" A Knight asked, the other's waiting patiently.

"Capture them," Erwin commanded, though his focus was on Mikasa, who was hesitating in handing the sword over.

"Uncle, no!" Armin finally spoke up, giving Mikasa the silent okay she was waiting for. Mikasa stepped in front of the trio, holding the handle of the sword in her fighting stance. Eren joined Mikasa's side, holding his fists in the air.

Eyes widening with surprise, Farlan stared at the duo.

Were they protecting them?

Stepping behind Mikasa and Eren, but in front of the trio, Armin held her arms out, taking a stance with her friends. Erwin's eyes lit up with interest.

"Oh? You're willing to protect thugs, Armin?" Erwin's eyes showed with disappointment. "How naïve, Princess. I fear this whole day is a mistake, letting you come out to the town…you may even be naïve enough to not be a wife…" Erwin's dismayed words were cool, and calculated.

Just as Erwin was aiming for, Armin's determination faltered, her eyes softening with doubt of what she was doing.

"These thugs have murdered all of these people," Erwin gestured to the dead bodies littered on the ground. "They had wives, Armin. They had children. They had mother's and fathers, brothers and sisters….hopes and dreams, they had goals…what is their family to do without them?" Erwin saw the resolve in Armin's eyes crumbling fast, and continued to assault her with the reality of the situation. "You're little friends took all of that away from these men and their families. Shortly, the family will receive news that their loved one was murdered, by thugs." Erwin continued, seeing Armin drop her arms, and went in for the final blow.

"A lot of these children are left fatherless, and some of them, completely orphaned, just like you are, an orphan, or, you would be if they took me from you." Erwin finished just as cooly, and cruelly as he had started, having manipulated Armin just as easy as he had her whole life.

Mikasa lowered her stance and set a hand on Armin's trembling shoulder, rubbing it gently. Armin covered her face with her hands and cried, conflicted on what the right thing to do was. Here, Armin had only wanted to help, she hadn't meant to hurt anyone, and now, so many people had lost their lives today. What was worse, was that it was partly her fault, and that many living people would be affected by this, and children would be fatherless or orphaned.

Guilt clenched her heart.

What did she do?!

To make matters worse, she was blindly protecting these people, who had done the brunt of the murdering…but even Mikasa and Eren had participated in the killing, all by her orders. Eren wrapped his arms around her, taking her in a gentle embrace, while MIkasa stroked her hair.

They both knew how delicate the Princess was, and the poor flower had been through hell today. Each also knew the Princess was blaming herself, and naturally, both knew they weren't going to be able to talk her out of it, so they were there for her in the way they could be.

"Say goodbye to the thugs, Princess." Erwin said with too cool of a voice.

Slowly, Armin peeked out from the safety of her hands, just in time to see Farlan, Isabel and a limp Levi being carted into a new carriage, with cuffs on their wrists.

Armin let out a heart-wrenching sob of guilt.


End file.
